Order 349489: Cultural Celebration research paper - Tea ceremony in Japan

 

 

 

 

 

Tea Ceremony in Japan

Joe Liu

San Jose State University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Origin

Tea was brought to japan from China (China 618-907) by the tang dynasty. The first tea ceremony is hinted in the 8th century by a Chinese Buddhist writer in the book dubbed “Cha Ching”. Tea plants for medicinal consumption by Japanese priests and nobbles hallmarks (Japan 710-794) Religious consumption of tea was a practice developed by Myoan Eisai, the founder of Zen Buddhism in the Rinzai sect temple. Tea processing began during this time. Pounding of tea leaves prior to adding warm water and tea whisking after hot water is poured over it form the origins of tea ceremony (Abdennour & ebrary, 2007). Books titled Ta Kuan Cha Lun - General View of Tea and Kissa Yojoki -Tea drinking is good for health popularized the tea ceremony. In the thirteenth century tea spread from the sung, Kamakura to samurai class. It also saw land size increase to plantains. Tea parties emerged between Gekokujou (parvenus); a dynasty formed after the fall of Kamakura, and Toucha (McCrone, McPherson & Palgrave Connect, 2009).

The parties were characterized by a tea testing game; where, guests were to differentiate Honcha (legitimate tea) with other types of tea. There was gambling on the contestants and important rewards given. Among the samurai, tea was believed to tighten bonds as each member in a party would sip from the same bowl. They later adopted the Shoin tea serving style (Cunha, Cunha & Ebooks Corporation, 2010). This made up the alcove (Tokonoma), the couple of ledges (Chigaidana) within the alcove, as well as the side-alcove counter (Tsuke-shoin) with Taami carpet to coat the ground. The Douboushuu adopted the fixed shoin desk from the Samurai and served tea placed on a large utensil stand (Daisu).

Tea eventually spread to low class people. They held ceremonies in a (Kakoi) small room. Thus the best designer of smaller tea room’s ceremony Murata Shukou was referred to as the Father of Tea ceremony- chanoyu (Gulevich, & Gale Group, 2004). He founded a school on the principle of Zen-inspired tea to teach students the art of designing small tea rooms. In his art he developed the four-and-a-half-mat room, refined simplicity (Kakeru), sober-colored pottery from Bizen and Shigaraki, and the most excellent technique of merging Chinese and Japanese tea apparatus. Tea eventually gained fame and it became an art school with titles such as (Chanoyusha) professional teacher, Wabi-suki – three qualities professional, confidence in the presentation of tea, as well as capacity to perform with good manners relevant to an appropriate master, as well as outstanding practical expertise and Meijin- a combination of a waki-suki and a fine Chinese tea apparatus collector.

Types of Japanese Tea formal procedure (The way of life)

These tea ceremonies are celebrated and named in relation to components such as; time of day, season of the year, importance and the occasion for the tea ceremony. The ceremony is performed in an otemae manner. It is based on the Zen Buddhism principles.

 Guests arrive earlier than the said time. They enter the tea room, remove their coats and wear traditional socks known as Tabi. At the stone-basin, they wash their hands and rinse their mouths. In the tea room, they sit on the tatami according to their status. On sitting, the door is closed to alarm the host (Cunha, Cunha & Ebooks Corporation, 2010). The (chaji) having laid a charcoal fire, heats the water, serves a course food, then a (kaishi)a sweet edible paper. The guests break after the meal and go to the waiting area. They are then summoned back whereby the cleansing ritual is redone and they claim their original positions.

As a ritual, the host cleans the utensils before the guests. He then serves tea exchanging bows with every guest. The guest receives the tea bowl, turns the front backwards, takes a few sips, wipes the bowl, compliments the host and passes the bowl to the next guest. When all have drunk, the host heats another tea, serves each guest in their own cups and passes the (chadogou) priceless, Irreplaceable antiques handled with care for viewing. The various ceremonies include:

1. Akatsuki-no-chaji sunrise tea formal procedure in wintry weather

2. Yuuzari-no-chaji (Yûzari-no-chaji) end of the day tea formal procedure performed in hot months

3. Asa-cha early-morning summer tea formal procedure

4. Shoburo first utilize of the handy brazier in May of the year

5. Shougo-no-chaji (Shôgo-no-chaji) noontime tea formal procedure

6. Kuchikiri-no-chaji tea ceremonial commemorating the breaking of the close on a container of fresh tea (November)

7. Nagori-no-chaji tea ritual showing respect for the last remnants of the year's provisions of tea as well as to perceive the hot months ahead of the winter sets in (October)

8. Yobanashi winter-evening tea ritual

9. Hatsugama steaming of the initial kettle tea formal procedure

10. Sado (chanoyu)

Preparation

Powdered tea (matcha) can be prepared using two methods; usucha and koicha.  Koicha is a three times stronger, rich blend of matcha and hot water as usucha. The matcha is kneaded. Usucha is prepared by using a tea whisk to whip a mixture of matcha and hot water. The elements utilized in preparation of matcha consist of chasen (bamboo whip), chawan (tea basin), chashaku (bamboo tea serving spoon), furui (matcha powder colander), hishaku (bamboo ladle), Kama (large kettle), as well as a source of heat.

The matcha residue is sieved in the furui, to give it an ideal smooth uniformity; typically organized earlier prior to the tea formal procedure. One puts the Kama on the fire supply to steamy simmer (Gulevich, & Gale Group, 2004). The hishaku is then dipped into the Kama to fetch water to warm the tea basin. The water used to warm the tea basin is not used again. Then, a chaasaku is usually used to scoop 2 or 3 scoops of the matcha into the chawan. An additional scoop of warm water (approximately 4 oz.) in the Kama is fetched and emptied into the bowl. This is followed by a whisk of the tea into a solid and foamy stuff using a chasen. The tea tin is then smashed directly from the basin.

Symbolic uses and/or restrictions of symbolic foods associated with a celebration

Tea is associated with character development of an individual among the Japanese. The art of setting a tea room requires simplicity, humility and peace within oneself. The setting of the tea room and order of participation detects and symbolizes humility by the participants.

The act of sipping tea from the same bowl symbolizes trust. This was in fact used by the Samurai dynasty to strengthen their bond.

High consumption of tea was however restricted among the working class. It was associated with calming of the nerves. This made workers lazy and unproductive. It was viewed as an evil to the economy. Thus a rule was that tea be served prior the gin bottle. Contrast to this in 1980s it’s again viewed as a temperament reformer instrument. It evoked the emotional side of men and stroke a moral balance distracting men from over alcohol consumption.

The equipage used to serve the tea was a symbol of class, taste and lavish lifestyle. It gave one a status. The women serving the tea would decorate their arms and hands and the décor environment to the host man gave him a title among the clansmen.

Tea consumption is offered as a sign of comfort to those that are distressed.

Changing uses of Tea due to Immigration and Globalization

EGYPT, MORROCO & TURKEY

In Egypt, they serve their tea in glasses. Tea is consumed regularly in a day. It usually black tea and highly sweetened. Moroccans use mint tea before and following foods. Mint is meant to help indigestion. Tea preparation is a male role. Mint tea is prepared by mixing Chinese Green Tea with either clean or desiccated mint vegetation, an outsized piece of sugar in a large teapot. Warm water is emptied into the pot and let to boil for a number of minutes (Abdennour & ebrary, 2007). From an approximately standing altitude tea is poured in a slight stream into the little glasses lined up underneath. This lavish dispensation act puts air in the mint tea throughout the room and spreading the energizing scent.

English

In the England culture they took tea in the afternoon basically because their meals are spaced into breakfast and dinner. They consumed it in the tea gardens; working class usually took their tea when it is accompanied by sweets, a cake or scones. However, tea is commonly drunk in English speaking countries at either time of day from morning till evening regularly (McCrone, McPherson & Palgrave Connect, 2009).

French

They consumed true Camellia sinensis plant tea in a sophisticated luxurious manner. They also used expensive utensils and served it with lavishly costly pastries.

Conclusion

Japanese tea ceremonial is like an example of utilizing all sensorial strategy to stability and is an esthetic logic of non-westernized strategy in art. One ought not to depend merely on western point of view of what is regard as art. It is a pure earnest moral form of service and art. In its simplicity, it remains a diehard ceremony as in touches on the way of life for families. These numerous gatherings to take tea allow for communication that keeps homes intact, with or without exercising the ceremonial Japanese procedure in full.

The global commercialization of tea, the tea blending prospects, the tea additives , value chains, tea research, tea capacity building institutions are evidence of the tea hallmark. Tea ceremony is a global influence. The restrictions that come with tea emanate from the health effects arising from the sweeteners used. It is important to note though in history the Japanese lack health effects arising from tea, they are known to be physically fit.

 

References

Sen Soshitsu, X. V., & Morris, V. D. (1998). The Japanese way of tea: from its origins in China to Sen Rikyū. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.

HAGA, K. (1983). THE APPRECIATION OF ZEN SCROLLS+ BOKUSEKI. CHANOYU QUARTERLY-TEA AND THE ARTS OF JAPAN, (36), 7-25.

Sadler, A. L. (2011). Cha-no-yu: the Japanese tea ceremony. Tuttle Publishing.

Prideaux, Eric. "Tea to soothe the soul". The Japan Times, May 26, 2002.

Tsuitsui Hiroichi. "Usucha". Japanese online encyclopedia of Japanese Culture (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-07-13.

Graham, P. J. (1998). Tea of the Sages: the Art of Sencha. University of Hawaii Press.